Syringes are known for storing and transporting substances with fluid properties such as gases, liquids, pastes, slurries, or any other material that tends to flow in response to applied shear stress. A syringe may include a barrel defining a bore in communication with a port, and a plunger disposed within the barrel. Translation of the plunger away from the port may draw material into the barrel through the port. Alternatively, translation of the plunger toward the bore may expel material from the barrel out of the port.
A syringe barrel may be formed from a transparent or translucent material, such that a position of the plunger within the bore is visible through the barrel. Further, the syringe barrel may include indicia disposed thereon, such that longitudinal alignment of the plunger relative to the indicia may visually indicate a volume of material stored within the syringe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,380 (hereinafter, “the '380 patent”) purports to describe a dose metering device for use in conjunction with a syringe and to syringes incorporating such devices. The syringe from the '380 patent includes a body and a dose-setting device mounted on the body and capable of being moved to a selected set position, a latch arranged to retain the setting device in the set position, and means arranged to release the latch to cause the set dose to be expelled. Further according to the '380 patent, movement of the dose-setting device to the selected set position is accompanied by straining of a spring, which, when the latch is released, provides the force for expelling the set dose. However, the latch and spring mechanism of the dose-setting device in the '380 patent may be complex to assemble, expensive to manufacture, require detailed operating instructions for users, or combinations thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,041 (hereinafter, “the '041 patent”) purports to describe a dose setting and repeating syringe device which allows repetitive injection of a pre-programmed dose amount from a volume of insulin or other pharmaceutical contained within the syringe. A syringe according to the '041 patent includes a mechanical dose programming assembly coupled to a proximal end of a hollow barrel and including a dose ring and a dose plunger slidably mounted onto the dose ring and coupled to a ratchet stem. The dose ring of the '041 patent is threadably mounted onto the proximal end of the hollow barrel and provides adjustable programming of sliding travel of the dose plunger relative to the hollow barrel. However, the mechanical dose programming assembly of the '041 patent may be complex to assemble, expensive to manufacture, require detailed operating instructions for users, or combinations thereof.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved syringe to address the aforementioned problems and/or other problems in the art.